Interesting Research on Passports – What No One Ever Told You

A passport is a license that allows you to travel. You will not be able to go to other countries if you have no passport. The process of obtaining a passport is straightforward. Read on to know what you need when applying for a passport.

You need to know that a passport is important whether you are an infant or an adult. It is important as long as you want to go by air out of the country. Children who are below 16 years require consent from both parents. They need to apply for their passport in person accompanied by their parents. The application is then co-signed. It is important if you want to take your family for a trip abroad you ensure they all have a passport. A passport takes four to six weeks to be processed. You need to apply for the passport two months in advance before your travel day. However, there are exceptions if you want the passport urgently but you have to be prepared to make a fee. This means that you can have it in two to three weeks. If you are lucky you can have the passport sooner especially in case of an emergency.

Ensure you have the necessary application documents. Ensure you get a DS-11 form. You can download it online and take it to the passport agency in person. You will need documents that prove you are a citizen of your country. It can be certificate of naturalization, certificate of citizenship o certificate of birth. A photo ID is also important. It can be military ID, driver’s license, certificate of naturalization or a previous passport.

Carry a photocopy of your ID both the front and back. Also, get passport photo as well as passport fees. However, if you don’t have any primary form of identification, you can use secondary documents such as letter of no record, delayed birth certificate, early public or private document or form DS-10 birth affidavit. If you have dual citizenship, you will need to have passports of both countries. There are factors that may disqualify you from obtaining a passport. This may be arrest warrants, outstanding child support payment, federal loan and debts, arrest warrants and drug convictions.

Getting a passport may look like a long process. However, it is simple as long as you have met all the requirements. It is advisable you create a checklist for making the application process easy. It is wise to consider having travel insurance to protect you and your travel plans. A passport lasts for 10 years. Passport for a child is valid for five years. In most countries, validity of six months after the return date to your country. Take a look at the expiry date. Renewal takes four to six weeks.